RalliArtGuy555

So, do you coast to a stop or downshift while decellerating? Just about all of the people I know put it in neutral and use only the brakes. So I just want some stats on what style you all use.

I now like to heel-toe downshift when coming to a stop since it is less work for the brakes, better control since you are always in gear, and it's more fun.

HobieKopek

iTrader: (8)

Neutral and brake. There's no need to put extra stress on your transmission. Everytime you shift, engage or disengage the clutch it gets worn that much more. If you know you're coming to a complete stop then there's no reason to have the engine pushing against your braking.

Smoktout

iTrader: (1)

It really depends on the situation. If i feel like making noise i'll downshift and let my muffler wind down. it sounds so sweet when it does that. if im near a cop tho, i'll just throw it into neutral. Also, if im coming up to a light that's about to turn green, i'll try to downshift into second and roll through the light.

Link286XT

iTrader: (3)

to me it really depends on how much gas i have left, using engine braking uses more fuel, but my exaust sounds cooler.

Just my $0.04

Link

RalliArtGuy555

Let off your gas pedal, notice that 'jerk'. That is your fuel injectors cutting off fuel. Engine braking doesn't use any gas at all.

Pimpson

plus, the tires in each gear spin differently due to the differential. right? so when I am stopping downhill or around a curve, I alwayz go through gears, on level ground, I usually just neutral and then put it in first cause the intake sound is mahvelous

JeffGST

RallyArtGuy555 is completely right. When you let off the gas while in gear, the injectors shut off. Actually placing the car in neutral will cause you to waste gas. The reason is that if the engine was in neutral the engine would have to pick up the idle or else the engine will stall. Picking up the idle uses up gas.

You can easily see this if you had an exhaust gas temperature gauge. Travelling at freeway speeds net around 710C temps, and if you let off the throttle, the temps drop rapidly down below 500. If instead you just put it in neutral all of a sudden, the temps do not drop as fast because the engine is burning fuel to maintain an idle.

My advise, leave the car in the present gear while slowing down until the RPM drop to the idling area. That way you do not add stress to the transmisson by downshifting and you also extend the life of your brakes because the car slows down faster.

Jeff
Hope this makes sense to everyone

Onikun

DITTO

sunycheeba416

only if its raining or the road is wet do i downshift towards a light. ive been scarred by skidding and rearending a car at light before. but ill downshift regardless if i feel good and/or in a racing mood.

TampaLancer

For me I always down shift. I feel that I'm really driving when I do that, Plus, If I see a guy that I want to take out I always have that extra power to show him (or she) what the lancer is made of.

Rasputin

Always, always, always.

Not going to wear me out any faster. Entropy being what it is, something's going to wear down eventually.

Helmeted_Ninja

So your saying technically the engine stops running when you let off the gas. Lets get this straight, you let off the gas the injectors shut off. Then the pistons don't have any explosive force moving them. Then you gas it to speed back up and the engine Kind of starts back up. I guess it makes sense because it happens in a short period of time. Like Nanoseconds, haha.
Then again this is coming from a person who, with the help of a friend, converted a Ford Festiva into a rice mobile. 4 foot spoiler and 8in exhaust. As everyone knows adds HP.....

JeffGST

Yes, the injectors completely shut off when you are coasting in a gear. This DOES NOT mean the engine shuts off.

The engine continues to spin until one of these four things happen.

1) When the car makes a complete stop while still in gear. The wheels stop moving - the transmission is connected to the wheels - the engine is connected to the transmission. Therefore if the wheels are not moving, the engine will stop rotating also.

2) Lack of fuel to the engine, with the wheels completely stopped.

3) Lack of air, with the wheels completely stopped.

4) Lack of ignition, with the wheels completely stopped.

As you can see, if the wheels are moving and the transmission is engaged, the engine will spin according to how fast the wheels are spinning in that specific gear ratio.

Example...
If you are on the freeway, cruising at 65 MPH and you let off the gas in 5th gear, the RPMs don't drop to zero, right? Of course not, it just continues to spin and drop slowly as your speed drops. You can even shut off the engine and take the keys all the way out of the ignition. It has the same effect as the injector shut off. The ECU just waits for you to open the throttle again before it sprays more fuel in the engine.

But if you are at 65 and you throw it in neutral, the injectors will spray fuel into the engine. This is because you have just disconnected the spinning wheels from the engine. Therefore the only way the engine will continue to spin is if the idle is picked up. Maintaining an idle requires fuel.

Slowing down and leaving it in gear will save you gas and extended the life on your brakes.

Jeff

Kae'El

I usually change down gears as I slow, I guess it's just the way I was taught to drive. Usually I judge it so I just cruise through the lights, and you've got the right gear selected.
That in mind, when driving a friend's auto Soarer, I still went to put my foot on the clutch and stopped rather a bit quicker than I had intended. The brake pedals are so WIDE!

TampaLancer

you learn something new everyday...